This is our third day of our posting in the Kuala Langat District Hospital in Banting. Every night Jel and I ask each other the reason we are posted here for. We could not provide the question a satisfactory answer. Each morning we drag ourselves out of bed and wonder if we are nearing the weekends so we can return to PJ - to our own cozy rooms in 6th college, to a less haunted place, to home.

“What day is today?” Jel muttered at the second snooze of the Crazy Frog tune of her cell phone alarm. It usually rings when I’m washing up in the bathroom and never failed to make me laugh with my mouth full of toothpaste.

“It’s only Wednesday.” Another thousand light years from Friday, I thought to myself. Looking at the mirror in front of me I allowed my imagination to run wild a little. Maybe there’s a non-Jellio` figure floating just behind me. One with long black hair, perhaps entangled due to lack of daily combing. A red eye globe almost popping out of its socket. Skinny and ash-white hands sticking out of a white robe and reaching out for Jel me the door.

“When is Friday gonna come?” Jel mumbled from her pillows. The long-haired figure in my imagination vanished and instantly replaced by the March calander. Soon, I hope?

Our friends from another room brought old newspapers and scotch tape to cover up the tall mirror and another on top of the sink, both facing the beds - for fear of “paranormal sightings”. Another friend was imagining noises since our first day here while a male coursemate refused to stay in the room alone when the roommate is on night duty in the hospital. They tried with all their might to shut away any possibility that may invite “unwanted guests” into their rooms.

Even before we set foot on this place, we’ve heard numerous ghost stories and personal experiences from coursemates and seniors. It sounded like this hostel houses a large population of lost souls who failed to gain entrance to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory - like a temporary Ghost Camp on earth. Two weeks ago, Jel and I were joking about bringing crucifixes and crosses the size of our heads, Holy Water, etc to “bless” the room and keep away spirits. Yet we travelled to Banting on the past Sunday packed with Tommy and Azeroth (our laptops), speakers, loads of food and some books - anything but huge crosses and the Holy Water.

Upon arrival, there were Jel and I in our twin sharing room. 24 hours later, there’s still only us. And perhaps a mosquito or two. Finally, we decided that this hostel is not as creepy as we thought it would be. No floating robes, female weeping sounds, flickering lights, etc. Perhaps I watched too many horror movies my threshold for spooky stuff is rather high. But the ceiling fan certainly spins at an amazing speed no matter it’s switched to any level from 3 to 5. The spinning blades gradually grow loud in movement and the air in the room will turn so fast it seems like there’s a mini hurricane brewing in the room. For fear of it suddenly comes crashing down on me, disfiguring me or chopping Jel into chunks of flesh and bones I’d always get up to slow it down to 2. Then there’s this long extension cord Jel bought to plug our laptops, lamps and handphone chargers to the socket so inappropriately located at the other end of the room far from the tables which we always trip over. We agreed that one fine day one of us will really trip and fall horribly with a fatal trauma to the skull and brain. Then we’ll haunt the room and the hostel will live up to its spooky legend.

“Eh, bangun la!” I said when I emerged from the bathroom only to find Jel still nicely tucked under her covers.

I’m not sure what she said. Guess it must had been some sort of a grunt, moan or groan. We’re 5 minutes late. And it’s only Wednesday.